Freya left the cemetery and checked into a hotel instead of returning to the clinic with Madeline.

She knew Bradley too well. He probably had his eyes all over the city, looking for her high and low.

Freya lay in bed after showering. Her mind was still in turmoil.

She carefully recalled every moment she spent with Bradley.

In the beginning, he pretended to be disabled, ugly, and blind. She thought he was doing it to deal with Arthur's family, but the more they got along, the more she realized that he had a lot of secrets.

First, he was the big boss behind Shangri-La. Later, he got involved with the Sigelac.

However, Juliet's appearance made her suspect his true identity was much more than that.

Thinking about that pained her head more. She decided to close her eyes and stop overthinking, but she couldn't resist the urge to check her phone. In the end, her strong willpower held her back.

She tossed and turned until late at night. Just as Freya drifted off to sleep, there was a sudden knock at the door.

"Hello, room service!"

Freya opened her eyes abruptly, her mind still in a daze.

Did she even call for room service?

What was the hotel doing up at this hour?

She impatiently shouted towards the door, "I didn't call for service. Did you guys make a mistake?"

"Miss, our hotel is having an event tonight. You are the lucky customer chosen by our hotel. We have a special gift for you." Afraid that Freya would think she was lying, the staff added, "I am Quentin Young, the hotel staff. If you don't believe me, you can call the front desk to inquire."

Freya opened her eyes. She had indeed called the service desk and confirmed that there was a staff named Quentin Young at this hotel.

Without thinking twice, she got out of bed and went to open the door.

When she saw the tall man standing there, she screamed in fear and tried to close the door.

Bradley burst through the door, soaked from head to toe. His once neatly combed hair clung to his forehead in a mess. Water dripped everywhere.

The staff disappeared after finishing his business.

Only the man's heavy breathing and water droplets could be heard in the quiet corridor.

"Why did you turn off your phone?"

The man's eyes held a cold loneliness, deep and dark like the icy abyss, threatening to swallow her whole.

"It's none of your business," Freya said, pushing him away with all her might. Still, the difference in strength between men and women was too significant, not to mention that Bradley was much stronger than the average man. Instead, his strength pushed her back, stumbling and falling backward several steps.

Bradley quickly caught her waist, pulling her into his arms.

A wave of cool mint and rain washed over her as the mature man approached, momentarily stunning her.

"You're my wife. How is it none of my business?"

He hugged her, then shut the door with his foot before pressing her into the wall. "Don't even think about trying to hide from me."

"How did you know I was here?" Freya bit her lip, glaring at him with anger.

With such dirty tricks to get her to open the door, she never imagined how low he'd stoop.

"I told you. No matter where you hide, I will find you. You think you can escape my grasp?" Bradley's eyes were cold and piercing.

He had braved the rain to search the city for her, even standing outside the Culinary Crown Court for several hours before he could pry open Ella's mouth and learn that she was in this hotel.

He also knew she wouldn't open the door if he barged in recklessly.

So he came up with this rotten trick to deceive her.

Surprisingly, Freya showed no surprise at his presence and even seemed eager to kick him out.

What unforgivable sins had he committed to make her hate him to this extent?

Bradley grasped Freya's shoulder with dominating crimson eyes and kissed her roughly.

The sudden kiss was so aggressive that Freya had no time to dodge it, and the man's wild aura enveloped her.

"Mmm!"

Freya struggled, desperately pushing him away.

The man seemed mad, not allowing her to catch her breath.

Freya was so enraged that she stomped on his feet, but he didn't seem to care and kept kissing her.

Frustration drove her to headbutt him, but he grabbed her before she could.

Finally, she bit him so hard that the taste of blood rapidly filled her mouth.

The pain from her bite finally made him let her go.

The next moment, a loud slap on his face rang out in the silent night.

Endless darkness instantly filled Bradley's icy eyes.

The atmosphere turned eerie, with only the wind rustling outside.

Freya's hand froze in mid-air. She looked at the man's flushed face, feeling panic.

She had hit him. Realizing what she had done, her hands trembled slightly, and her eyes filled with grief.

"Bradley, I ..." Freya was terrified by his dark and oppressive aura. She had never seen Bradley with such an expression before. His eyes were cold and dark, like the depths of hell.

He was Bradley Austin-the Austin Corporation's CEO, with ties to the Sigelac. Crossing him would have terrible consequences.

He must be thinking of killing her right now. "Have you had enough? If not, you may continue." Though seemingly indulgent, his deep voice carried a chilling tone that lacked warmth.

Freya's hands trembled. She bit her lip and glanced at his red, slightly swollen face with a painful heartache.

"Leave. I don't want to see you right now," she said harshly, turning her back on him.

"Are you mad because Juliet said something to you?"

Bradley's cold eyes locked onto her slender back. "I'm telling you, I have nothing to do with her," he said firmly, one word at a time. "Do you believe me?"

He couldn't think of any other explanation. The phone he had touched that morning had been warm. Meanwhile, the only other people in the villa were Xavier and Juliet.

Xavier never touched his things, so that only left Juliet.

"You don't need to explain to me, I don't want to hear anything right now." Freya's mind was in a mess, and she needed to calm down.

Bradley promptly moved forward and hugged her, refusing to give her that chance. "So, I guessed right. She did reach out to you."

Freya remained silent.

The man held her tightly, his wet clothes seeping into her nightgown, leaving her drenched as well.

The room was warm, but she still shivered.

"I should have told you about Juliet sooner, but you can't disappear like this. Do you know how worried I was when I couldn't find you?"